Conference Tournament Previews: SEC | ACC | Big 12 | Big East
While Michigan has likely secured a top seed, the question remains whether they are guaranteed to win the conference tournament.
Ahead of this weekend’s Big Ten tournament in Chicago, here’s a comprehensive guide.
Can any team genuinely challenge Michigan?
This season, Michigan achieved a 29-2 record, with their only significant misstep being an unexpected defeat to Wisconsin in January, which ended their impressive 14-game winning streak. Less than a month ago, the Wolverines narrowly missed a victory against Duke in an uncharacteristically late non-conference game; ultimately, Cameron Boozer and the Blue Devils secured a five-point win in Washington, D.C.
Apart from that loss and a close call against Penn State in January, other Big Ten teams have struggled to pose a serious threat. The Wolverines decisively defeated Michigan State, considered the conference’s second strongest team, twice by double-digit margins, including their final regular-season matchup on Sunday. They maintained a lead for most of their dominant victory over Purdue and also triumphed over Nebraska, a team that recently barely edged out Iowa following a substantial 20-point loss to UCLA.
Nevertheless, if any squad is poised to challenge Michigan, it is likely the Spartans. While they have suffered two defeats to their in-state adversaries this season, Tom Izzo’s team concluded the year by winning five of their last six games, including an away victory at Purdue. Having earned a double-bye in the conference tournament, they are positioned on the opposite side of the bracket as the 3 seed, meaning their primary obstacle in that half is the No. 2 seed Nebraska. This alignment appears to offer a more straightforward route to the Big Ten championship game. Should the Spartans succeed, retaining a No. 2 seed in the NCAA tournament would be highly probable.
Irrespective of the matchups, it is highly probable that the champion of this conference tournament will emerge from one of the top four teams that secured a double-bye. Given the significant disparity in strength between the upper and lower echelons of the league, having a rest period until Friday will prove exceptionally advantageous.
Essential Information for the Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament
Dates: March 10-15
Venue: United Center | Chicago
Broadcast: CBS, BTN, Peacock
The bracket for the Big Ten men’s basketball tournament is now complete. (Big Ten)
Big Ten Men’s Basketball Schedule and Outcomes
All times are Eastern Time
Tuesday, March 10 — Opening Round
Game 1 | No. 17 Maryland vs. No. 16 Oregon | 5 p.m. | Peacock
Game 2 | No. 18 Penn State vs. No. 15 Northwestern | 25 min. after G1 | Peacock
Wednesday, March 11 — Subsequent Round
Game 3 | G1 winner vs. No. 9 Iowa | 12 p.m. | Peacock
Game 4 | No. 13 USC vs. No. 12 Washington | 25 min. after G3 | Peacock
Game 5 | G2 winner vs. No. 10 Indiana | 6:30 p.m. | BTN
Game 6 | No. 14 Rutgers vs. No. 11 Minnesota | 25 min. after G5 | BTN
Thursday, March 12 — Preliminary Round Three
Game 7 | G3 winner vs. No. 8 Ohio State | 12 p.m. | BTN
Game 8 | G4 winner vs. No. 5 Wisconsin | 25 min. after G7 | BTN
Game 9 | G5 winner vs. No. 7 Purdue | 6:30 p.m. | BTN
Game 10 | G6 winner vs. No. 6 UCLA | 25 min. after G9 | BTN
Friday, March 13 — Elite Eight Stage
Game 11 | G7 winner vs. No. 1 Michigan | 12 p.m. | BTN
Game 12 | G8 winner vs. No. 4 Illinois | 25 min. after G11 | BTN
Game 13 | G9 winner vs. No. 2 Nebraska | 6:30 p.m. | BTN
Game 14 | G10 winner vs. No. 3 Michigan State | 25 min. after G13 | BTN
Saturday, March 14 — Final Four Contests
Game 15 | G11 winner vs. G12 winner | 1 p.m. | CBS
Game 16 | G13 winner vs. G14 winner | 25 min. after G15| CBS
Sunday, March 15 — Tournament Final
Game 17 | G13 winner vs. G14 winner | 3:30 p.m. | CBS
